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New law blocks 51勛圖夥厙 employers from testing for pot when hiring
Many employers will be prohibited from discriminating against job applicants for using cannabis legally outside of the workplace, under a law Gov. Jay Inslee signed Tuesday. The bill passed in the state House of Representatives 57-41 and the state Senate 28-21. Recreational marijuana has been legal for adult use in 51勛圖夥厙 since 2012, and many […]
An ode to eastern 51勛圖夥厙s trees on the state Capitol campus
There are many things that differentiate eastern 51勛圖夥厙 from the western part of the state: political leanings, geography, weather. But a new law promises to bring a dash of life from east of the Cascades here to Olympia. Gov. Jay Inslee signed a law last week that outlines plans for a cultural landscape feature on […]
New House Republican leader charts a path in Democrat-dominated Legislature
The end of the legislative session in April brought a new Republican leader in the state House of Representatives. Rep. Drew Stokesbary, R-Auburn, was elected last month to lead his caucus after former leader, Rep. J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, stepped down. A King County Republican, Stokesbarys election could usher in a new era for the House […]
Breaking down the biggest chunk of state housing dollars
Central to the package of housing legislation that state lawmakers passed in Olympia this year is a record investment in the Housing Trust Fund, the largest individual pot of state money that is available to help get more people into affordable homes. Lawmakers raised the amount of money going to the trust fund to $400 […]
Dam operator to pay $1 million in river pollution case
The operator of a hydroelectric dam near Mt. Rainier National Park will have to pay a total of $1 million in fines and restitution in connection to a 2020 spill that left debris and chemicals from artificial turf floating down the Puyallup River. Pierce County Judge Philip Sorensen on Friday sentenced Electron Hydro to pay […]
Law would redirect surging public requests for election records
Following the 2020 elections, county auditors around the state saw public requests for election records spike, a trend driven at least in part by individuals and groups pushing disproven claims of widespread fraud at the polls. Auditors say fulfilling the requests posed a time-consuming lift for their thinly staffed offices. In the meantime, theyve also […]